My private yoga evaluation paid off immediately. The yoga instructor noticed that I had lost some of my range of motion in my right arm resulting from being struck by a car several years ago while cycling (see “My Biggest Challenge“). In addition, she noted that I was more flexible on the left side of my body than the right side. She showed me how I could modify the yoga exercises/poses and use yoga tools to accommodate my specific situation.
While I would have loved to continue the private lessons indefinitely, I only had six lessons and I was destined to join a group yoga class. However, the private lesson gave me the specific training I needed for my situation and physical limitations. More importantly, it gave me the confidence that I need not worry that I would be doing my yoga poses differently than the others in the class.
In addition, while my instructor didn’t develop a special yoga routine for cyclists, she did point out the poses that were the most beneficial to offset the negative impact of the repetitive use of the same muscle groups used in cycling. After only six lessons, I felt better and could see a noticeable improvement in my flexibility. While it might only be my imagination, I feel like I’m cycling better too.
Ken Whittaker